Molly Eichel

UPDATE: Eskin announced his departure from the 3 to 7 shift today: "25 years ago this month I did the first sports talk show at WIP,” said Eskin, with his voice breaking with emotion. “My career has been filled with challenges. In life there is only so much time to fit them all in," said Eskin, adding that he wanted time to pursue other opportunities, which he didn’t get into though he has been filling in recently on former ESPN host Dan Patrick’s nationally syndicated radio show.

“After Sept. 2 I will be giving up the 3 to 7 p.m. shift but will still continute as part of WIP as part of the Eagles broadcast, as part of the pre-game shows and other broadcasts. Let me be clear I am staying at WIP but after close to 6000 sports shows I really thought it was time,” Eskin said.

EARLIER: We won’t call it a “stone cold mortal lock,” as Howard Eskin might, but it's pretty certain that the Sportsradio 610 WIP AM host will not be hosting a daily talk show for the station after Labor Day.

Sources say Eskin, who has worked at WIP for about 25 years, will step down from daily broadcasting but remain as a contributor and Eagles sideline reporter.

The station is expected to announce this change among other updates to its line up sometime this week, insiders tell us.

Among changes, as we reported two weeks ago, is that WIP may soon take over the FM signal of rock station 94 WYSP.

WIP’s AM sports-talk competitor ESPN 950 began simulcasting on 97.5 The Fanatic in Dec. 2009 and quickly found increased listenership, especially among younger people whom advertisers target the most. 97.5’s Mike Missanelli show, which competes with Eskin and Ike Reese in the afternoon-drive slot, has been outperforming WIP in the key advertising demographics for a while.

Asked Friday about his situation, Eskin said he would be at WIP next week, next month, and next year, but asked specifically whether he would be hosting a weekday show, he didn’t get back to us. WIP Program Director Andy Bloom and CBS Radio Market Manager Marc Rayfield both said they are working on a long term deal with Eskin but also didn’t get back to us about whether his daily hosting days are over.